Our Danish brethren at Procycling.dk recently talked to Saunier-Duval star and Tdf stage winner Rubens Bertogliati. We last heard from Rubens when he regaled us his tales from this year’s Giro, now he talks more about his season, and his recovery form a broken pelvis…

You really have good form this year — I assume you are staying at your present team?

RB: Next year I will ride again for Saunier Duval Prodir, I felt very good with the team, and I could ride the races I like prefered.

Rubens and Massimo Strazzer teamed up for a few diaries for PEZ from this year’s Giro, on board their Scott CR-1’s.

How are you feeling right now? Are you recovering from your injuries?

RB: Now I ‘am better and I am recovering very good from the injuries I hope to start training the beginning of october

Can you give us an idea of what you have done to get back in shape, when are you back on the bike?

RB: Well I broke the pelvis , which means absolute rest for almost four weeks, the first one I could not move but now is really better, because I can move and drive so I can go to physiotherapy where I excercise in the swimming pool, because the body is lighter in the water.

Going back to your crash at the Tour of Netherlands did you know immediately it was bad news?

RB: After the crash I felt very bad and I could not stand on the left leg, so I was transported to the hospital, where they did the x ray and said without discussion it was a fracture of the pelvis. It was a bad news because I thought nothing was broken.

You have the potential to excel in both time trials and road races, so which one do you prefer?

RB: I think I’m very good in time trial when they arrive after some days of racing like in a grand tour or in a stage race , I also like one day races like the classics and the beautiful races in Italy. I hope to do well in both specialities

Given that success and the profile you now have at the team, do you feel under pressure to perform?

RB: I always try to give the maximum of myself, and the team is always important but the team did not put me under pressure, I think it is a good team which can let the rider go to his max.

You are a very complete rider, but maybe you would need to ride better in the mountains in order to win the TdF or the Giro d’Italia, right?

RB: It is always hard to say that I can win such I big thing, first of all I hope to be better in the mountains, which is very important to excel in every race, I surely hope to win more especially classics.

With few very high mountains in this year’s Vuelta a Espaсa, do you think you could have done well?

RB: The Vuelta is always a very difficult race, but I think that I could do well in the time trial and in some middle mountain stages, but I don’t think that I was there in the top positionsof the general classification

Can we say that you have a champion’s personality, a winner’s way that is different from some other riders?

RB: I always try to keep my feet back on earth when there are big emotions, like winning races, I hope to remain the same, for the people who look at me like an example. I think it is the right way to behave.

When you are not racing what do you usually do?

RB: When I m not racing I always have something to do, I read a lot of books, I listen to music, play with the computer, I go walking in the mountains around my home when I’ m not too tired I also follow a little bit of english lessons.

Is it a problem to be in a team like Saunier Duval that has a tremendous sprinter like Miguel Angel Martin Perdiguero, considering, you riding your own chance?

R: In reality I did not race much with him this year, he always does the races in Spain and I always do the races in the rest of Europe he is a very good sprinter and this year it was his year of glory, he is a great rider.

How is your relation with the other stars of the team?

RB: I get along well with the other riders of the team, we knew each other even before, we are a good team, and every rider can express the maximum of himself.

You are beloved by cycling fans, especially in Denmark. Why do you think this is? You are maybe the rider most fans identify with?

RB: It makes me very proud to ear that I am beloved in Denmark- it is a very beautiful country. I really hope to remain always like now, maybe it is because I prefer facts than words, I hope to give more satisfactions to my fans.

How is your relation with Mauro Gianetti?

RB: Mauro is a very good team manager when he was a rider we trained a lot together and he has a lot of experience in the world of cycling. I always take advantage on his advice. It is beautiful to have as manager who knows the cycling world very well.

What do you think about your own performance this year?

RB: I think that this year was a very important year, I could do many races I did not do before like the Giro or like the Olympics, or like Liege. It is very important, to do these races to become a good rider, I went very well in Tirreno Adriatica, in the Criterium Int, in the Giro and in the Tour of Romandy, but I was unlucky because I had good legs but I could not win any Races! I really hope to win next year.

What is your opinion about Armstrong’s historic sixth consecutive triumph in the biggest race of the world?

RB: I think that Armstrong is the only one who prepares very well a difficult race like the Tour of France and he was really the strongest this year, no one could stay with him the only criticism is that he rides only the tour, but he rides it successfully.

Who is the rider who impressed you the most this year?

RB: I think that Bettini Rebellin and Cunego are the riders which impressed me most this year Bettini because he always rides races and he is always on top level, Rebelin because he won three classics in a row, Cunego impressed me because he won with such ease the tour of Italy and he is so young.

Anything you want to tell all your Danish fans?

RB: I hope to come to visit Denmark and ride the tour of Denmark.
I say hello to all my fans in Denmark!

Thanks to the guys at Procycling.dk – be sure to check ‘em out and bone up on your Danish!